Art for water’s sake
50 kids paint conserve slogan at state contest

Students at the state-level competition in Ranchi on Wednesday. Picture by Prashant Mitra

If you are forced to shell out cash for clean water now, isn’t is about time to think about the future?

Fifty budding artists wielded their paintbrush to stress the need to conserve water and also suggest remedies to tackle crises during a state-level competition, “Replete Ground Water Before it Depletes”, in Ranchi on Wednesday.

“Conservation of water is a global concern and we need to join hands to solve water crisis with better management, as residents are already feeling the pinch of shortage,” said Neha Kumari, a Class VI student of DAV Public School, Dhanbad.

“Every drop of water is precious” was the message which Mahashweta, a sixth grader of DAV Public School, Jamtara, was trying to portray.

“I have tried to depict how every drop can be judiciously used by human beings,” she said.

The contestants put their thinking cap on to show how to recycle water and use it for washing, irrigation and even encouraged residents to adopt water-harvesting practices.

“When resources were available, human beings were least bothered about water conservation. But with water crises now, farmers have not only lost their cattle but they are also unable to irrigate agricultural land,” said Sarthak Wadha, a sixth grader of St Thomas School, Ranchi.

The second phase of the state-level painting competition saw the participation of 50 students of Classes IV, V and VI from 30 schools. The first phase of the contest was held in 341 government and private schools involving 30,000 students three months ago.

Organised by Central Ground Water Board, which functions under the Union ministry of water resources, November 12 was the last date for entries from each school for the state-level competition.

The select 50 were shortlisted out of 30,000 students for the two-hour competition in the state capital on Wednesday.

S.N. Sinha, officer in charge of the Jharkhand unit of Central Ground Water Board, said the competition into its third consecutive year.

“We have organised the competition in a bid to spread awareness among young minds and parents to conserve water at their homes and schools. The youngsters have tried to portray water related problems and consequences,” he said, urging everyone to save water to avoid water crisis.

Cash prizes of Rs 10,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 5,000 are up for grabs for the top three, while 10 consolation prize winners will receive Rs 1,000 each.

“All three state-level prize winners will participate in the national-level competition scheduled to be held in Delhi on January 21 next. They will compete with the first, second and third prize winners from other states,” Sinha said.